A Bond of Fate
by Aurora-Boring-Alis
Summary: For her friend's birthday, Tikal looks to compose and master a single song on the koto. The task proves nigh impossible. That is, until the intervention of her violinist neighbour. [Lowkey BlazeXTikal. Slight swearing.]


Tikal had been a musician for what seemed like millennia. She had learnt many instruments in her time; from stringed to air to even her voice, she had tried almost all. But her favourite would forever remain the koto.

A friend had introduced her to it not too long ago. She had been with the harp for ages, a pleasant gentle thing, one she loved dearly. However, once she heard the high-pitched and beautiful, yet somber sounds of the instrument, her affections had faded. Her friend, a hedgehog by the name of Shadow, had picked it up along his travels with the specific intention that she learn it. He said it's gentleness reminded him greatly of her strength and ambition.

So over the course of the last few months, she had begun learning the koto. It served a gruelling task, the strings hard to tame and the chords even harder to put to memory. One of her hands needed to be at the base of the instrument, while the other needed to stretch and reach to the neck where her fingertips would sit on the chords. It never took more than half an hour until her arms and fingers would throb and ache from the position she had to hold. But she would not give in. Many times, she found herself up into the hours of the night, both failing and succeeding.

Her intention was not to master the instrument as a whole. For every instrument she had learnt, she would master but a single song on it and then move on to the next. For the koto however, Tikal had been asked by Shadow to play a song on his birthday; the next time they would meet. The hedgehog hadn't given her a title of a piece for her to learn. He instead asked her to learn whichever tune spoke to her. He added that she was a fine musician in her own right, and trusted her judgement. Since that day, she had committed herself to composing a song for him, something special.

She sat out on the balcony of her apartment. She had since set up plants and bushes to keep her company while she played. Blooming peonies, orange daisies and sunset-like carnations. On the concrete of the balcony, she'd left a long stretch of mat for both her and the koto to rest on. Along the railing she had wrapped string lights and left two lanterns out to keep the area well lit. At night, she would turn off the string lights and one lantern so that her neighbours wouldn't complain.

She knelt over the koto, trying her hands at the same chord she had played over and over again. Something is missing. She thought as she looked at the sheet music before her. She had hastily scrawled the keys and chords to what she had for her song. They had been there for what seemed like an eternity.

Tikal pushed a dread behind her ear before it fell back over her shoulder and got in her way once more. She drew a tie from around her wrist, pulled her dreads back into a ponytail and adjusted her seat against the ground.

She leaned back against the sliding glass door and let out a sigh. _I fear I'll never learn this... this damned instrument_. She thought tiredly.

The sunset had come and faded, being exchanged for a cloudy night sky. Her eyes trailed up to the moon, cracking through clouds. She frowned as she rested her hands in her lap. _Perhaps I should rest. But..._ she thought, counting away the days until she was to meet Shadow for his birthday. _No. No breaks. It's coming soon and this song is nowhere near ready._

She sat back up, quickly stretched from side to side before positioning herself over her koto. Her fingers grazed the strings, making a lovely, airy sigh before she paused. She played the scale over and over again, repeating until she reached the highest sound the koto could make. _This is much too boring, Shadow won't like it._

Tikal barely heard the whine of a violin as she focused over the koto, replaying the strings over and over again. It was a loud mewl, yet delicate and gentle. Her hands stopped at the strings as she heard the sound carry into the night. It started out high but died off after a moment, a horrible screech crying out from the instrument.

" _I apologize_." A voice said. " _I thought we could perform a duet_."

It took Tikal a moment to realize that she was being spoken to. She glanced around, only to see the spiralling vines and evening blooms of her planted friends. The railing was solid and an ugly beige, blocking her view. She blinked twice before responding. "Oh. I didn't realize there was another musician in the complex." She said, rising to her feet. She peered over the railing, only to see empty plastic furniture.

" _Up here, miss._ " The voice called. Tikal spun around, leaning back on the railing and glancing up to see a lavender cat hanging over. Her amber gaze held Tikal's and she wore the ghost of a smile on her lips. In one of her hands was a bow for the violin. "I've heard you playing for the longest time now. You play same melody over and over again without fail." She said.

Tikal blushed. "Oh. I'm sorry." She said. "I didn't mean for it to bother my neighbours, I had thought the sound would be washed out behind the doors and windows. I even turned off some lights…"

"I didn't say it bothered me." She said. "On the contrary, I wanted to join you. It sounded too lonesome on its own."

"Well, I suppose if you've nothing better to do," Tikal said, still blushing. "I'm trying to compose a song for a friend but it feels... Empty."

The cat smiled, flicking her tail. "Well, maybe I could try to help." She said.

Tikal nodded. "Please do." She said. "Anything would help."

"Of course. By your lead." The cat bowed her head as Tikal disappeared back under the upper balcony. She sat, knelt on the mat, pacing herself.

"Here is what I have so far," Tikal called, posing her fingers over the strings and beginning. Her eyes intent on the sheet music before her, she played. Above, the other musician above stayed silent and listened to the dulcet tones that the koto sang for her. After Tikal finished, she spoke.

"I have an idea. Keep playing those keys you have down and I'll join in." Blaze said. Tikal nodded. "And allow me to start."

"Okay." Tikal said, sitting back from the koto. "Please, begin."

The violin wept gently and softly, carrying through the air. In comparison, it was louder and higher than the koto. Tikal could hear the cat tap her foot to keep the timing. A loud, strong weep cried out suddenly, sending a shiver down Tikal's spine. It subsided into quieter sounds, less sad and forlorn and eventually, she took up the scale that Tikal had performed on her violin wept a frantic, uneven melody; something that mimicked the rolling of the ocean's tide. And before Tikal had realized, the violinist had faded back into the scale she composed and stopped abruptly.

"What do you think?" The cat asked.

"It's lovely... I loved towards the end after the scale. It was beautiful." Tikal said. "I think... it would sound great with my koto."

"I was about to ask what instrument you were playing."

The echidna smiled, quickly playing several notes in succession. "It's a koto. It was a gift from a friend from a vacation he took. I promised I would create a song for his birthday."

"I see," The cat remarked. "That explains all your practicing."

"Yes." She said.

"Well, how about we combine our efforts?" The cat proposed. "We'll add my section to yours and see how it goes."

"Really? You'd do that?"

"It's not everyday you hear such a beautiful song, let alone help compose it." She said. Tikal heard her pick up her violin again and tap the ground with her foot. "On my count?"

"After you."

"One, two, three." The cat breathed. The violin wept loudly, slowly becoming softer as Tikal began her shimmering scale. The two played on into the night, slowly working out the bugs in the composition. At one point, a neighbour yelled for them to shut up, which sent both girls holding in laughter and hurriedly putting away their instruments.

"I'm afraid I don't know your name." Tikal quietly called. "Awfully rude on my behalf. I'm usually a more involved neighbour. My name is Tikal, and you are?"

"Blaze." She said, leaning over the railing.

"Beautiful name!" Tikal admired. "Well, thank you for your company and advice Blaze. With your contributions, I think this song is almost done."

"May you find an excellent violinist." She said.

"Won't you join me? This cannot be done alone." Tikal said. "After all you're the one who helped compose it with me."

"I fear I would only get in your way, Tikal." Blaze said.

Tikal's smile faded. "You wouldn't. I promise." She said.

"Certain?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." Tikal said, smiling.

Blaze gave a small laugh, tearing her amber gaze from Tikal. She blinked twice before noticing the rising sun. "Chaos, it's already morning." She said.

"Makes sense why we got cursed out." The echidna said before clearing her throat. "Perhaps, we could get breakfast? I know I'm hungry. And I'd like to thank you for your help."

The cat's lips curved into a smile as she nodded. "Allow me to freshen up. I'll meet you in the lobby." She said.

"It's a date." Tikal beamed, waving up to the cat.

* * *

 _A/N:_

 _I'm recovering currently so what better way to bide time than write fics lmaooooo._ _This is dedicated to darkblaze14 who turned me onto this rarepair thanks for throwing me deeper into hell dark ly_

 _Also based off bond/fate from the fe fates ost pls listen its like crack dude_

 _Thanks for reading~!_


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